| Every year modern-day cowboys are seen frolicking | | | | those times. The first Sturgis Motorcycle Rally lasted |
| around South Dakota. They prepare to race and to | | | | only for two days. Since then, the rally has been held |
| show their unique physical feat riding their iron horses. | | | | annually. However, the rally was cancelled during the |
| There are thousands of them and all are motorcycle | | | | World War II. This is to support gas rationings for war |
| enthusiasts. Bikers from different places travel to the | | | | tanks. Moreover, young men were also brought |
| so-called Mecca of hardcore motorcycle fanatics to | | | | overseas to be part of the country's armed forces. |
| witness the event called "The Sturgis Motorcycle | | | | When the war was declared over, the Sturgis |
| Rally," which is held in Sturgis, South Dakota. This event | | | | Motorcycle Rally came back to life, gaining tremendous |
| happens only during the whole first week of August | | | | popularity. For the first time in history, the main street |
| every year. This is where bikers break away from all | | | | of Sturgis was blocked just to have a ceremony that |
| the hustle and bustle of their daily stressful lives. At the | | | | lasted for two hours. During the early years of 1960's, |
| Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, radical motorcyclists create | | | | the club of the Jackpine Gypsies introduced the |
| their own nirvana. The goal of the Sturgis Motorcycle | | | | Hillclimb and Motocross races. One block of the Sturgis' |
| Rally is to gather people as well as motorcycles. | | | | main street was closed to be used for motorcycle |
| Bikers coming from all walks of life, converge to | | | | parking purposes. The rally became a three-day |
| participate in this grand event. You may be surprised | | | | course. However, by 1965, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally |
| to know that there are doctors, teachers, engineers | | | | became a five-day event. About one thousand |
| and other blue-collared professionals included in the | | | | motorcyclists from all over the U.S. attended the rally. |
| crowd. These individuals are those who consider | | | | At the same, the event included a feeding program led |
| motor cycling a lifestyle rather than a simple means of | | | | by the Sturgis Chamber of Commerce held in the city |
| getting from one place to another or from point A to | | | | park. Awards were given to the longest married |
| point B. It all started when Clarence Hoel, also known | | | | couple, oldest rider, best dressed male and female, and |
| as Pappy, bought his Indian Motorcycle Franchise in the | | | | the cyclist who traveled the most distance just to |
| same city where the rally is held every year. Soon | | | | reach Sturgis in South Dakota. In 1989, a sad day befell |
| afterwards, the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club | | | | everybody as they mourned over the death of Pappy |
| was born. This club owns the field areas, tracks and hill | | | | Hoel, the founder of the rally. The whole week of the |
| climbs where the rally takes place. Only a year after, | | | | Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was dedicated to the father |
| the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) | | | | of the said motorcycle event. He earned a national |
| recognized the club. It was in August 14, 1938 when the | | | | citation for his dedication in making the said motorcycle |
| first Sturgis Motorcycle Rally began. Back then, it was | | | | event into one of the biggest occasions in the world of |
| popularly known as the Black Hills Classic. There were | | | | motorcycling. In 2000, there were more than 600,000 |
| only 19 participants and a few members in the | | | | participants who attended the year's rally. This is the |
| audience. The rally included a half mile track and | | | | highest figure they have so far. The Sturgis |
| unbelievable stunts. The stunt performances included | | | | Motorcycle Rally had also recently celebrated their |
| intentional board-wall crashes, motorcycle jumping on | | | | 67th anniversary, attracting more and more people, |
| ramps as well as head on collision with another | | | | both bikers and non-bikers. |
| motorcycle or a different automobile. Johnny | | | | Visit Irv online and check out the motorcycle saddle |
| Spiegelhoff from Milwaukee won the majority of the | | | | bags and accessories he has picked out for next |
| prize money given by four local businessmen. Five | | | | year's Sturgis trip. |
| hundred dollars was a huge amount of money during | | | | |